Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Matt Moulson endured long road to becoming elite NHL scorer

BUFFALO – Four years ago, Matt Moulson’s career reached what he called “a fork in the road.”

Having spent the final six months of 2008-09 in the minors before Los Angeles let him go, the new Sabres winger began fretting.

At that point, Moulson had six goals in 29 NHL games. But at least the Kings had given him a shot. Pittsburgh, which drafted Moulson 263^rd overall in 2003, never even signed him.

“It ... Read the full article

Sabres retained money in Thomas Vanek trade with Islanders

BUFFALO – Some interesting new details have emerged about Sunday’s big swap, which sent Sabres co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders.

The Sabres retained 19.5 percent of Vanek’s $6.5 million salary in the trade, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. They also kept the same portion of his salary cap hit.

Perhaps that’s why the Isles, who sent high-scoring winger Matt Moulson to the Sabres, also parted with a ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Corey Tropp nearing return from broken jaw

BUFFALO – Before Corey Tropp broke his jaw fighting Toronto’s Jamie Devane Sept. 22, the Sabres winger, who tore up his right knee last season, enjoyed some peace of mind.

The few doubts the 24-year-old had about the injury vanished during the preseason.

“I grew that confidence with each day of training camp,” Tropp, who could make his season debut this weekend, said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “‘Oh, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Moulson can’t spoil Lindy Ruff’s special night in Buffalo with Stars

BUFFALO – Eight hours before his Sabres debut, high-scoring winger Matt Moulson joked he wanted Lindy Ruff’s return to the First Niagara Center as the Dallas Stars’ coach to overshadow his night.

Moulson wasn’t letting on Monday morning, but the 29-year-old, having just been acquired Sunday with draft picks from the New York Islanders for star co-captain Thomas Vanek, was incredibly nervous.

“I’m not going to lie, that was probably the most nervous I’ve been ... Read the full article

Matt Moulson endures long day to debut for Sabres

BUFFALO – Having grown up in nearby Mississauga, Ont., about a 90-minute drive, Sabres winger Matt Moulson said he’s well-acquainted with his new city.

“I used to love coming to Bills games,” Moulson said Monday inside the First Niagara Center prior to scoring twice in his Buffalo debut, a 4-3 loss to former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and the Dallas Stars. “So it’s a great city. Who knows, it could be for a long time. ... Read the full article

Matt Moulson surprised to leave Isles, upbeat about joining Sabres

BUFFALO – Having grown up in nearby Mississauga, Ont., about a 90-minute drive, Sabres winger Matt Moulson said he’s well-acquainted with his new city.

“I used to love coming to Bills games,” Moulson said this morning inside the First Niagara Center, less than a day after being acquired with two high draft picks from the New York Islanders for co-captain Thomas Vanek. “So it’s a great city. Who knows, it could be for a long ... Read the full article

Stars coach Lindy Ruff enjoying Dallas, ready to face Sabres for first time

BUFFALO – Lindy Ruff still catches himself.

At times, the Dallas Stars’ coach still refers to the Sabres, the team he coached for 15 seasons, as “we.”

“I’ve slipped up the odd time with that one,” Ruff, whose Stars face the Sabres tonight, said this afternoon inside the First Niagara, his first visit back since his Feb. 20 dismissal.

Other times, Ruff will thumb to the Sabres’ statistics page instead of Dallas’.

Breaking old ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Thomas Vanek to Islanders for Matt Moulson and picks

BUFFALO – In the short-term, the hapless Sabres are no better after dealing co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders late Sunday for 30-goal winger Matt Moulson and a first-round pick in 2014 and second-round selection in 2015, general manager Darcy Regier said.

But the shocking trade, which Regier worked on with counterpart Garth Snow “off and on for a while,” wasn’t about improving the 2-10-1 club immediately.

“This is more ... Read the full article

Former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff returns home to Buffalo with Stars

BUFFALO – This city, of course, is still Lindy Ruff’s home. Always will be, the former Sabres coach said shortly after his stunning Feb. 20 dismissal.

At times, it felt as if Ruff, having survived so much turmoil and change over his 15 seasons, would never leave.

But 250 days ago, Darcy Regier, Ruff’s close friend, drove to his Clarence home and fired him, the Sabres’ regression too much for the general manager ... Read the full article

Sabres trade co-captain Thomas Vanek to Isles

BUFFALO – In a stunning development, the Sabres have traded 29-year-old co-captain Thomas Vanek, arguably their top player, to the New York Islanders for Matt Moulson, their 2014 first-round pick and a 2015 second-round pick.

The slick winger, an upcoming unrestricted free agent, has expressed an interesting in leaving the Sabres if their rebuilding process takes too long.

Clearly, the Sabres’ awful 2-10-1 start couldn’t convince Vanek to stick around.

In the 29-year-old Moulson, the ... Read the full article